Illuminated illusion device



Dec. 29, 1953 E. CERRACCHIO ILLUMINATED ILLUSION DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet lFiled June 24, 1949 Inventor:

ENRICO CERRACCHIO,

v 47m, g wm Dem-29, 1953 CERRACCHIO 2,663,960

ILLUMINATED ILLUSION DEVICE Filed June 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Inventor: ENRICO CERRACCHIO,

1953 E. CERRACCHIO ILLUMINATED ILLUSION DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJune 24, 1949 Inventor:

1 orn ENRICO CERRA'CCHIO,

Dec. 29, 1953 c cc -uo 2,663,960

ILLUMINATED ILLUSION DEVICE Filed Jung 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 LO 9'LI- Inventor:

ENRICO CERRACCHIO,

Dec. 29, 1953 E. CERRACCHIO 2,663,960

ILLUMINATED ILLUSION DEVICE Filed June 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG?Inventor: ENRICO CERRACCHIO Attorneys.

of the box. An inwardly projecting flange or wall 1 extends around theperiphery of the box and extends at right angles to the side walls,thereby providing a marginal screen behind which electric lamp bulbs maybe located so that they will not be seen from the front, as will bedescribed. The side walls of the cabinet are illustrated at 2. 3 is therear wall of the box which is oppositely positioned from the flange iwith respect to the side walls 2. The edge of the opening provided bythe innermost edges of the flange l is indicated at 4. At about thecentral point of the rear wall 3 is an opening 5 and fitted with respectto that opening is the article 5 to be illustrated, which, in this case,is a boy's face with the eyes open and showing obvious animation. Themarginal edge of the boys head, face and hair, with a small capillustrated on the head, is fitted to the edge of the openin 5. As inthe case of the devices shown in my earlier applications, the face,indicated at 6, is in concavity as contrasted to relief. In other words,the face extends from the plane of the rear wall 3 still furtherrearwardly, as will be clear from the sectional'views, Figs. 3 and 4.

The material of the wall 3 could be formed as a continuation of thematerial of the boys face and head 6; however, as shown in cross sectionin Figs. 3 and 4, the element 6 is affixed to the rear surface of thewall 3. It is important that the junction of the face and head 6 withthe wall 3 be such that the marginal edge 5 is not shown as a thickwall. Preferably the face and head should appear to merge at its edgesinto the plane of the Wall 3.

In operation, to obtain different expressions for the boys face, thelamp bulbs I and 8, respectively above and below the face arealternately lighted by means of a circuit selecting device 9 which maybe located between the source of electricity and so that the lamps 1 and8 are lighted. In Fig. l, the circuit selecting device 9 is illustrateda having one double wire l leading to the lower lamp 8 and a seconddouble wire I l leading to the upper lamp 1. With the use of aconventional circuit selecting device adapted to periodically shiftpower from one line to another, the tubes 1 and 8 may be causedalternately to light up, whereby the expression on the face varies fromthat shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, and conversely.

Figs. and 6 show the face of element 6 as viewed from the right, thusshowing the left side of the face and with the different expressions dueto the fact that the light is from above, as in Fig. 5, and from belowas in Fig. 6'.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the face of the element 6 when viewed from aposition to the left of the full front position and. showing the rightside of the face, the different expressions being due to the fact thatin Fig. '7 the light is from above and in Fig. 8 the light is frombelow.

The article 6, in this case a mask of a boys face, may be of a simpleand preferably light weight article, of which the display surface isconcave. More particularly, the mask is preferably of a thin piece oflight weight plastic, opaque and colored on the concave side to portraythe character of the face or other element to be delineated. The articleis preferably stamped or molded to provide the desired selectedfeatures, all illustrated from the negative or concave side.

One of the essential features of this invention is the use of color, tosuggest vitality, life, animation, or movement in the face or articlewhich comprises the element 6 to be illuminated in the device of thisinvention.

The article described in the foregoin affords mechanism for giving theobserver the illusion impression that the concave features of theelement 6 are normal features in convexity, that is in relief. In otherwords, the shape shown is provided in negative full relief whereas itproduces the illusion of being in positive full relief. The illusion isheightened when the observer passes in front of the device while lookingat it. Not only does the flashing light mechanism provide for a changeof delineation so far as expressions are concerned, but as the observermoves, the article 6 appears to turn as the observer progresses. Theimpression on the observer caused by that apparent turning movement iscomplicated by the change of expression. The combined effect to theobserver results in an intensely awakened interest on the part of theobserver.

The cabinet device of this invention may be either small or large. Therelation of parts requires no limitation as to size. One of the solerequirements is that the illuminating bulbs or lights 1 and 8 should behidden from view from the front to avoid glare directly to the observer.Changes in proportions and materials may be made without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

Although for purpose of illustration the present invention has beendescribed as incorporated in a cabinet device, it is to be understoodthat the a paratus does not require a boxlike housing. To the contrary,the illusion device and its cooperating flashing lights are peculiarlyadapted to outdoor advertising of the type employing large signs. Inthis latter use the size of the face or article depicted is almostwithout limit, and depends only on the available space and permissiblesize of the article and its supports. Obviously also the distance fromthe article at which the lamps are placed will depend on the desiredeffect, ground area, and height. Accordingly it follows that the lampsor source of illumination need not be supported by the same structurewhich supports the article or object to be illuminated.

The kind of materials used in preparing the article or object depictedfor use for outdoor display is immaterial, provided it can be decoratedand tinted, and otherwise is satisfactory for the purposes intended. Forexample, a material adapted to be worked while in a plastic conditionmay be prepared either at a factory or at the site selected, dependingon the process used and other conditions, or previously preparedarticles or objects of plastic or film may be used. Resistance toweather may be insured by the nature of the material or by suitableroofing, which forms no part of this invention. The factor which must bepresent in display objects for this purpose is that the decorated surfacmust be a concavity.

The article depicted may be the representation of a face or any otheranimate or inanimate object, as disclosed in my said application forpatent filed June 20, 1949.

The device illustrated embodie the mask of a boy which is in trueproportion in that it shows in reverse the width, height and depth ofconcavity and the same facial details of those features which are by theillusion depicted in convexity.

I claim:

1. In a display device, a cabinet having an upright wall, an element tobe illuminated located in said wall and extending rearwardly of it, afirst lamp positioned to throw light upon said 5 element from a positionbelow said element, a second lamp positioned to throw light upon saidelement from a position above said element, both of said lamps beinglocated forwardly of said wall, means for alternately lighting saidlamps, means for shielding said lamps from a front view, said elementconsisting of a, face mask having, as its display portion, the negativeside of the mask in negative full relief, and which negative sideportrays, in concavity by contour an tinting, a face including nose andboth eyes, with the eyes open, the forward edge of said concave portionterminating at its juncture with said wall whereby to the observer theilluminated element, as displayed, appears to show, in positive fullrelief, live features possessed of animation and varying expressiondepending on the movement of the observer and the illumination, theelement being characterized by surfaces which are respectively concaveand convex, and which, when I viewed from the front, serve to providethe illusion of being respectively convex and concave, the mask havingproportions of width, height and depth of concavity substantiallyexactly those of a complete face having corresponding measurements ofthe same width, height and measure of a forward convex projection of theface, the illusion of which is depicted, and said element providing thefurther illusion that as the observer moves from right to left, heappears to see an increasingly larger portion of the right side of theface depicted, and conversely when moving from left to right regardlessas to which lamp is illuminated.

2. In a display device, a cabinet having an upright wall, an element tobe illuminated located in said wall and extending rearwardly of it, afirst lamp positioned to throw light upon said element from a positionbelow said element, a second lamp positioned to throw light upon saidelement from a position above said element, both of said lamps beinglocate forwardly of said 6 wall, means for alternately lighting saidlamps, means for shielding said lamps from a front view, said elementhavine a decorated portion in concavity and in negative full reliefextending rearwardly from said wall, the forward surface of saidconcavity depicting by contour and tinting an object, whereby, to theobserver, the object delicted by the decorated concave portion, asilluminated, appears to show in convexity in full relief varying contourand shadings depending on the movement of the observer and theillumination, the element being characterized by surfaces which arerespectively concave and convex, and which, when viewed from the front,

serve to provide the illusion of being respectively convex and concave,the object having the same proportions of width, height and depth ofconcavity substantially exactly thos of an object having correspondingmeasurements of the same width and height and measure of a forwardconvex projection of the object, the illusion of which is depicted, andsaid element providing the fur- I ther illusion that as the observermoves from right to left, he appears to see an increasingly largerportion of the right side of the object depicted, and conversely whenmoving from left to right regardless as to which lamp is illuminated.

ENRICO, CERRACCHIO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 830,834 Hudson Sept. 11, 1906 1,395,379 Adelsperger Nov. 1,1921 1,480,375 Cristadoro Jan. 8, 1924 1,828,177 Curtiss Oct. 20, 19312,334,750 Cerracchio Nov. 23, 1943 2,399,121 Janson Apr. 23, 1946FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 458,328 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1936

